A.G. Paul Morrison resignation — Best for Kansas

Last Sunday, this newspaper published a story about Morrison's two-year affair with a subordinate.

On Friday, just five days later, he resigned.

It was a dramatic fall from power.

Morrison had swept into office last November with 58 percent of the vote.

He was a poster boy for a Kansas Democratic Party on a roll — a popular two-term governor, an attorney general with the mandate of a stunning majority and a 2nd District congresswoman who took on, and defeated, a five-term incumbent Republican.

Not even an appearance by the president of the United States on behalf of the Kansas GOP could stem the tide.

They were the best of times for Kansas Democrats.

Then Sunday's story.

There had been rumblings that Morrison was in trouble.

Whispers here and there indicated he was facing serious allegations from a former employee in the Johnson County District Attorney's Office.

Word was that state Democrats were already closing ranks, bracing for the storm.

But official word failed to make the mainstream until The Capital-Journal published its story Sunday.

We give due credit to Morrison.

When confronted with the allegations the day before the story was published, Morrison acknowledged the affair.

It started while he was district attorney in Johnson County, continued during his successful campaign for attorney general last fall, then persisted well into this year.

It ended in September.

"Unfortunately, it is true ... that I once had a consensual relationship with Mrs. (Linda) Carter. And I profoundly regret that I did. I sincerely apologize for this failing in my personal life and I pledge to continue to fight for the safety and security of Kansans to the best of my ability."

It was interesting at the time that Morrison was sorry about his personal failings. It was interesting, also, that he seemed to see no link between those failings and his professional obligations, even though his mistress was an employee and he was the boss.

We thought then, and we think now, that most Kansans do see a link.

While he admitted having the affair, Morrison asserted that many of the claims leveled at him by Carter, the long-time director of administration in the Johnson County District Attorney's Office, were false.

Carter says otherwise.

Perhaps there will be evidence, or testimony from others, that will help us decide who is telling the truth, point by point, in the coming weeks and months.

But Morrison will not be attorney general when this unseemly saga winds to its conclusion.

Acknowledging that his personal actions had damaged the office of attorney general, his staff and the state of Kansas, Morrison gave up the fight for his office Friday afternoon.

Perhaps his decision was influenced by pressure from within his own party.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius quickly distanced herself from Morrison. She now will appoint a new attorney general, with hopes that enough time exists to establish a track record that will compel Kansas voters to stay with the Democrats in 2011.

Or perhaps Morrison could feel a legal tidal wave coming.

Multiple investigations already have been launched.

Much of the investigating will continue, whether Morrison is A.G. or not.

Only time will shed complete light on all that transpired.

While the resignation is best for all, we do feel compassion for Morrison.

He had ascended to the rank of attorney general in a bitter contest with incumbent Phill Kline.

He was the darling of many Kansas media outlets, who unabashedly endorsed him during his campaign.

And he was a key cog in a Democratic machine making significant inroads in a red state.

And now, all that is gone for Morrison.

It is a sad story indeed.

And while we take no joy in his demise, we recognize that it was, indeed, his demise.